Poisonous Plants Factsheet

Which plants can be harmful to children.

Poisonous or harmful plants

Lots of plants are poisonous or capable of causing highly allergic reactions. Some will also pierce you with their sharp spines. Few actually do lasting harm but some should be treated with care and respect. Garden and household chemicals, fires, backyard swimming pools and even ladders are far more dangerous backyard hazards for children than plants.

Who's at risk?

  •  Children, who are crawling or toddling around, particularly babies and young children under 2 years of age, are most at risk of eating non edible plant matter. To reduce the likelihood of babies and young children eating anything poisonous take the following precautions:
  •  Teach children not to eat anything straight from a plant or bush.
  •  Fence off or remove known poisonous or dangerous plants (see list).
  •  Keep the Poison Information Centre phone number 13 11 26 near your phone or in the contact list of your mobile phone.

Symptoms to recognise

Symptoms of poisoning from plants can include:
  •  vomiting
  •  stomach cramps
  •  irregular heart beat
  • burning to the mouth, lips or tongue
  • convulsions (fits)

The type and severity of symptoms will vary according to the type of plant eaten, the amount swallowed and the size of the child. The most common problems are stinging around the mouth and skin allergies.

First Aid

If you suspect a child has been exposed to something poisonous or harmful, first aid measures include:
  • For skin contact - gently wash the skin with clear running water.
  • For eye contact - irrigate the eye with clear running water for 20 minutes.
  • For swallowed plants - remove any remaining plant pieces and wash out child's mouth.
  • Phone the Poison Information Centre on 13 11 26 for further information.

If you need to go to hospital, take a piece of the plant with you if you can.

If your child is having difficulty breathing, is unconscious or fitting call an ambulance on 000.

Is it possible to recognise a poisonous or harmful plant?

There are no common characteristics of form, colouring, odour or taste, which distinguish a poisonous or harmful plant from a non-poisonous plant. But as a general rule of thumb, plants with a bitter taste, funny smell, milky sap or red seeds or berries may be poisonous.
To avoid poisoning, we need to learn to recognise and avoid poisonous plants so that we can teach our children to also avoid poisonous plants.

Poisonous plants to avoid


Dangerous plants to avoid if you have children:




Allergic plants to avoid contact with:

Remember:

  • Teach children not to eat anything straight from a plant or bush.
  • Fence off or remove known poisonous or dangerous plants (see list).
  • Keep the Poisonous Information Centre phone number 13 11 26 near your phone or in the contact list of your mobile phone.